How to Greet a Hatter
by TitaHightopp05
Summary: Pretty fluffy OneShot series about Alice and Tarrant's family, from the day their first child kicked for the first time on. Hope you like! R&R&E!
1. About Kisses And Kicks

**So tempted to post it as a second chapter for "Origins", but this title just melt me... sorry...**

 **Leave a review, please!**

 _ **How to Greet a Hatter**_

That was one of the rare days during which the Hatter left in hurry his workshop. He quickly went down to the stables and asked Examiner if he could escort him home: the cheerful Arabian agreed, allowed him to mount on his back and trotted on along the path for the Hightopps house.

The horse stopped and the Hatter jumped off the saddle, fixing the reins so they wouldn't annoy him during his trip back to Marmoreal: "Thanks!" he said before heading towards his house as Examiner trotted away again.

He quietly opened the door and called: "Alice?"

He heard noises from the kitchen while hanging his coat on the coat rack and made his way inside: "Alice, dear? I'm back!"

"Hi Tarrant!" she responded back.

From the tone of her voice Tarrant deduced that she was busy with something. He entered the kitchen and saw her managing to keep a Bread-And-Butterfly still while it was trying to fly away. He approached at her and hugged her waist from behind resting his chin on her shoulder: "Now, darling, is that the way to greet a hatter?" he asked knitting his eyebrows together.

Alice giggled, turned and pulled his head forward to kiss him passionately: "Hello, Tarrant…"

"Good evening, my lady" he murmured caressing her cheek, then his hand ventured farther down her side, to stop on her swollen belly. He knelt on one knee and kissed it too: "Hello, mo bhilis*…".

Alice felt her eyes grow moist, but fluttered hard to not let the tears go: "He will be able to greet you properly very soon, you know?" she continued stroking his cheek with the back of her fingers.

He leaned into the touch and said: "Come and rest with me, Alice. I ate a little at the Palace"

"Are you sure? Because I was…" she said indicating the Bread-And-Butterfly but, noticing that it had flew away, she sighed "Never mind then".

"I know what to do tomorrow"

"What?"

"Teach you how to put jam on the nose of a Bread-And-Butterfly to make it stay still, Alice"

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Later that night, the Hatter was sleeping holding his Alice from behind, with a hand resting on her tummy. He barely felt hers on his own, before her yell: "Tarrant!"

He gasped frightened and jumped upright: "What!?"

"Oh dear, I'm sorry I startled you…" Alice apologized taking his face into her palms.

"Alice what's the matter? Are you not ok? Are you hurt?-"

"No, no Tarrant. Just, the baby kicked!"

He froze elaborating again and again what she had just said. He didn't know what to do now: Alice was as overjoyed as he was, he wanted to hug her, hold her tight against him, kiss her… but he froze.

Alice took his hand and placed it on her stomach: the instant he felt their little creature move against his palm, he laughed exited: "Have you felt this? Our baby likes my touch!". He really could have futterwackened, but he preferred not to ruin the moment. Alice was laughing too, happy tears running down her cheeks and the Hatter noticed: "Oh, darling…" he said sympathetically as he pulled her into a loving hug: "It did take us by surprise, didn't it?"

She nodded against his chest and sighed.

"Alice, look at me"

She lifted her head and her eyes focused straight in his: how was it that he seemed always so calm when she was scared? He leaned down and kissed her lips warmly, then she threw her arms around his neck: "Tarrant, you were able to feel your child! Wasn't that magnificent?" she exclaimed.

He hugged her back tightly and a lone tear escaped from his eye too; he pulled back to face her: "That's the best way to greet a hatter ever…"

Alice smiled and kissed his tear away: "Shall we try to sleep again?" she asked laying back on the bed and let the Hatter pull the blanket over her: she couldn't help but notice the ever so slightly disappointed spark in his eyes; she pulled up in a half sitting position.

His eyes brightened again as he laid down too so his ear was pressed against her swollen belly, like a child waiting for his baby brother or sister, while hugging her waist.

She fell asleep passing her fingers through his red curls. Tarrant, instead, stayed awake a bit longer whispering sweet nothings to their creature until sleepiness won him.

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The early morning silence of months later was broken by the wail of a newborn.

"A handsome, healthy boy, Alice!"Mirana announced before she handed the baby to the midwife who would have cleaned him up.

Alice laid in Tarrant's arms, he held her and rocked her gently: "You've been great, my Champion" he whispered.

"Sorry I kept saying it was all your fault…"

"Hush, I don't care" he kissed her cheek.

Just then the midwife handed Alice the bundle of light blue blankets.

"Alice, he's… he's perfect…" he murmured with teary eyes.

Thomas Zanik Hightopp had already a hint of dark curly red hair which contrasted perfectly his pale complexion, light eyelids and high flushed cheekbones.

"He got so much from you" Alice remarked soothingly still looking down at her son.

"Ah seeh…" Tarrant nearly sobbed.

She looked up at him and saw that happy tears were sliding freely against his face: "Come here".

He cuddled in her embrace and cried silently in her nightgown: "My men… what would I do without them?" she thought out loud, caressing the Hatter's cheek: "Hatter, you are a father!" she remarked.

He pulled up and kissed her cheek in an almost desperate way: "Tha gaol agam ort°, Alice… Thank you" he said still touched.

"No tears right now Tarrant, look!" she said.

He looked down at the child while he tried to open his eyes: under the natural bluish fog-like shadow they could see a magnificent bright blue-green color.

"Hey lad! Welcome in Underland!" the Hatter exclaimed happily, after Alice had handed her son to his proud father.

 **Author Note : *mo bhilis = My sweet °Tha gaol agam ort (ha geul ahkum orsht) = I love you. Thank you for reading.  
**


	2. About Drawing and Siblings

**Hey guys! I'm so, so, so sorry for I'm terribly late!  
**

 **Chess: But from tomorrow on you won't have a free moment, actually, you are right on time!**

 **Tita: 0_o... uh o/o"**

 **Time: Wow, that was perv-**

 **Tita: Shuddup!**

 **Time: Yeah, maybe it will be better...**

 **Tita: See, Chess? Time is on my side! XD | Anyway, this chapter comes from an idea that Basketbears gave me through review: thank you ;)! And thank you to all the writers who are following this FanFic, hope that later on you won't get bored with it...**

 **Chess: Read &Review&Enjoy!**

 **Tita: Ah had teh say tha'! Yeah, what he said -.-"  
**

 _ **About Drawings and Siblings**_

It was a funny sight to see the youngest Hightopp: he was sitting at the table that was much too high for him, leaned on his elbows sketching with some pastels on a paper sheet; his little top hat kept sliding forward and he kept replacing it without shifting his eyes form his work, his tongue sticking out from the corner of his mouth.

Alice had been observing his moves for a good while now, an elbow on the counter near the table and her cheek cupped in her hand, a smile painted on her visage: "I'm looking forward to seeing your drawing, Thomas"

"Yeah, but… later…" he muttered absentmindedly .

"Yes, my little artist!" she said leaning down to kiss soundly his cheek, earning a pleased and high pitched moan, then she went back in the kitchen.

While finishing to wash the dishes after their dinner, through the window she spotted a carriage on the path in front of their house, and her husband's figure approaching in the cool November, which was thick for the fog that froze breathes; she could also see that he was not alone. Thomas was still sketching when she passed by him to go unlock the door.

Tarrant and Zanik's hat-talk suppressed as Alice opened the door and let them enter.

"Good evening, Mr. Hightopp" she said taking his scarf and jacket from his hands.

"Please, my dear, how many times did I ask you to call me simply Zanik?" the elderly man smiled at her. As Tarrant closed the foggy weather out and took off his own jacket his father continued: "Maybe it is against your Abovelandian traditions but, know something? I don't care" he chuckled.

Alice laughed at his choice of words: "Fine then, I'll call you Zanik"

Tarrant rolled his eyes behind them: "Aye, but not too much confidence. May I cut in?" he pulled Alice to him in a short passionate kiss. Alice gladly kissed him back pulling him closer with her hands on the back of his head.

"Welcome back" she whispered warmly.

"Alright then," exclaimed Zanik clapping his hands together lightly "Where's my grandchild?" he asked to nobody in particular. He headed towards the kitchen planning to surprise Thomas by lifting him on his shoulders, but when he arrived he found nothing but a drawing and some pencils on the table.

"WHAM!" two little hands gripped his leg making him jump in fright. Thomas laughed like a mad while holding his stomach.

"Oh, is that so?" Zanik muttered and lifted the child in his arms to tickle him hard, his little hat finally fell on the ground.

It was picked up by the Hatter who looked at them and sighed in disbelief: "How is it that every time we leave you two alone, you always end up trying to eat each other?!" he joked.

"He started!" Tommy pointed his grandfather who shot him a glare that reminded her very much Tarrant: Alice's lips curved into a smile.

"However" the older hatter started "I couldn't help but notice your drawing Tommy, what did you draw?". The little picture showed their house, drawn in a very childish way and four singular characters: "Who are they, lad?"

"'Tis mummy…" he said indicating with his small index the blonde woman at the window, then he moved to the one at the red head on her side "…and this is dad".

Outside, on the grass in front of the hat-shaped house were two children, the boy was putting a hat on the head of the girl. "I think I can guess who they are: that's you and this is Agata, right?"

"No"

"No?"

"No"

"Oh, and who would she be?"

"My sister, who else?" he said as it was the most obvious thing in the world, leaving the three adults standing there stunned with a smile on their faces. "See?" he continued "Here I made her a hat and I'm placing it on her head, 'cause that's what hatters do, right?"

Tarrant chuckled and rubbed his son's still hat free head proudly.

"Alright, I think it's time for me to go: that poor horse at the carriage must be freezing out there waiting for me" Zanik said smiling warmly at the child who gave him a light peck on the cheek.

"Fairfarren grandpa!"

"Come here, hatter-to-be, it's getting late and young milliners like you must get in their night clothes and go to bed" Alice said taking her son in her arms from his grandfather "Goodnight Zanik, greet everyone for us!"

"Goodnight, my dear. Fairfarren Tommy!" he waved gently to the child while Alice brought him upstairs.

"Goodnight father" Tarrant greeted the older hatter as he exited the house.

"I shall see you tomorrow" he answered with a smile, then suddenly turned "And, Tarrant?". The Hatter peeked his head out again. "I wouldn't mind another niece" Zanik grinned and walked back to the carriage, every step he made caused the frozen grass to sizzle while the exasperate and heartfelt snort of the inpatient horse came out in a heavy cloud.

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When Alice came down again after Thomas had fallen asleep she found Tarrant sat at the kitchen table, a hand holding the drawing and the thumb and forefinger of the other brushed against his chin. She approached at him and stopped behind his chair, gently taking his hat off and stroking his hair before leaning down to kiss his temple: "What do you think about it?"

The hand on his chin joined its twin on the other side of the paper sheet: "Well, we came out pretty well, didn't we?"

"I meant about having another" she giggled.

He looked up at her: "I would love to have another child" he lisped sweetly making Alice melt, while leading her to sit on his lap. Now he had his hands on her sides, his thumb drawing invisible circles on her stomach "But it's easy for me to say, since I neither have to carry his or her weight in my stomach for nine months, nor go through morning sickness, cravings, back pain, mood swings, tiredness, contractions, labor-"

"Hatter!" she cradled his cheek in her palm.

"-birth giving… fez… thank you…"

Alice smiled: "I miss the feeling of your child growing inside of me…" she half muttered caressing her flat belly herself.

Tarrant lowered his eyes in thought and remained happily silent for a while, then lifted his finger and remarked: "You said 'your child'…".

She caressed his jaw with her finger tips and raised slowly his chin to look right into his eyes: "That's because I don't want to carry any children but yours, Tarrant" she kissed him soothingly.

He hugged her waist and held her tightly to his chest: "Ah dehn't wan' et eithe'".

Alice smiled and closed her eyes letting herself being rocked by her husband's quiet breath and homey heat. After a while she felt the heavy weight of his head lean against hers and snuggle deep on the top of her head. She giggled in delight; _I think that tonight we'll do nothing but a long, healing sleep…_ : "Are you awake my love?" she whispered.

"No" he mumbled.

Slowly, not to make his own fall heavily, she lifted her head and leaned to kiss him gently on lips: it was a short, sweet kiss, they enjoyed it as it was their first; their lips ever so slightly parted, their teeth brushing lightly together and their tongues barely touching; neither of them really wanted to go farther. Just a simple, short, sweet, kiss to taste each other before the night as if taking a sip of the finest tea.

Tarrant pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes again letting out a sigh.

"Come my poor, tired Tarrant" said Alice gently "Not only hatters-to-be need rest…"

 **Oh, both on my note and on WordArt it seemed longer... Sorry! However, here it's... 22.39... 10.39pm... Time to bed, isn't it?**

 **Time: Seems you get in those jokes yourself! o/o**

 **Tita: ARGH!  
**


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